USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Lives of the eminent dead and biographical notices of prominent living citizens of Montgomery County, Pa. > Part 54
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There was much sympathy felt for General St. Clair all over the country, but chiefly among the members of the Federal party, of which he was an adherent; and there can be little doubt that to the prejudices of the opposite party the non-pay -. ment of his claims was mainly due. They were reported just by two committees of Congress, but that body, probably act- . uated by political malevolence, pleaded the statute of limita- tions. One of the reports of the committee contains this sen- tence :
" We are satisfied the petitioner advanced the money ($1800) ; that it was applied to the benefit of the United States; that he has
579
MAJOR GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
used reasonable diligence to have said claim settled ; and that the said sum has never been paid by the United States or Major Butler to the petitioner."
In further vindication of General St. Clair's ill starred cam- paign against the Indians, we copy another extract from one of the Congressional committee reports :
" The committee conceive it but justice to the Commander-in- chief to say that in their opinion the failure of the late expedition can in no respect be imputed to his conduct, either at any time be- fore or during the action ; but that as his conduct in all the pre- paratory arrangements was marked with peculiar ability and zeal, so his conduct during the action furnished strong testimonies of his coolness and intrepidity."
He enjoyed the confidence of both President Washington and Adams, and remained in office until the accession of Jef- ferson in 1802, when he returned to Ligonier. Here, to the disgrace of the nation, he was suffered to live in penury from that time until August 31st, 1818, when, at the age of eighty- three, he died at Chestnut Ridge, and was buried at Greens- burg, near his residence, with military and Masonic honors. There is inscribed on the small monument that covers his grave the following : "Erected by the Masons of Greens- burg in lieu of a better one due by his country."
His wife died nineteen days afterwards, and was buried be- side him. Up to the time of his demise he and she were living with his daughter, Mrs. Louisa Robb. Judge Richard Coul- ter was one of the officers of a public meeting in Greensburg to make preparations for his funeral.
Thus died, in public neglect, as true a patriot and brave a soldier as ever wore the American uniform, on the very ground the British government gave him for driving back the French and Indians, and which, through his devotion to the liberties of his adopted country, had passed into the hands of strangers. Verily, Republics are often ungrateful !
General St. Clair had numerous offspring, of whom we know little except of his eldest son, Captain Daniel St. Clair, who was settled near Norristown, and died at the homestead in the village of Penn Square, near Hartranft station, Stony Creek railroad. He was also a soldier in the Revolution, and held the position of Captain then and during the war of 1812, in
580
MAJOR GENERAL ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
which he likewise participated. He had studied law in Nor- ristown, and was a Justice of the Peace and Collector of United States internal revenue at one time. Daniel St. Clair had three sons, Arthur, Robert and James, the last being intermarried with Julia A. Edey. He had also four daughters, Phoebe, the eldest, wife of David Boyd, and Margaret, married to Richard A. Edey, and two who died without issue.
James St. Clair has been dead some years, but his widow survives and now (1881) lives with her daughter, Mrs. Rachel St. Clair Jacoby, at Sumneytown. Mrs Phœbe Boyd is also living, a robust woman of 87 years, in Philadelphia, and is the only other living representative of that branch of the family.
General St. Clair had two other sons, Arthur and John Mur- ray. Arthur studied law in Philadelphia and removed to Cin- cinnati, where he died and left a family. The third son, John Murray, settled and died in Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- vania, leaving a family there. He also had three daughters, Betsy, Louisa and Jane, all of whom were married and settled in this State. Jane was married to Samuel Jerves, of Paoli, Pennsylvania.
EVAN JONES.
Blest are the meek who stand afar From rage and passion, noise and war .- Watts.
This very eminent though unpretentious citizen, who was born and resided nearly all his life in the bounds of Gwynedd Friends' Meeting, was, it is thought, a grandson of the Welsh Quakers who emigrated with William Penn in 1682, or soon after, and settled adjacent to Philadelphia. The family of that name now residing in Montgomery and other eastern counties is so numerous that the connection of many of its branches is no longer traced; but its members have generally been repu- table people, and some of them prominent from the colonial era to the present time.
Our subject was the youngest son of Evan and Hannah
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EVAN JONES.
Jones. This Evan Jones the elder and his wife, who were members of Gwynedd monthly meeting, had four children, John, Hannah, Henry and Evan. The two eldest died un- married. Henry, the second son and third child, was inter- married with Jane Lewis, of Upper Dublin, who became the parents of Lewis, Clement, John L., Evan and Henry Jones. Of these Lewis, Clement and Evan are (1881) deceased, and John and Henry reside in Upper Dublin. Lewis, the eldest of this branch of the family, was widely known and respected throughout the county, both for his social qualities and busi- ness capacity. In connection with his occupation as a farmer he was extensively employed as surveyor, conveyancer, as also guardian for many orphan children, executor, arbitrator, and so on. He died, universally respected, on the 2d of Sixth- month, 1859, in his 53d year.
We return now to the proper subject of this biography, Evan Jones, the uncle of the foregoing. As before stated, he was the youngest son of Evan and Hannah Jones, and was born in Montgomery township, Montgomery county, on the 4th of First-month, 1777. Early in life, during his minority, he left home and went to Buckingham, Bucks county, to learn the trade of a tanner with Isaiah Jones; and later, when married, he established himself in that calling at Montgomery Square.
Some time after, on February 10th, 1817, he, in connection with Cadwalader Foulke, Thomas Shoemaker and Cadwalader Roberts, purchased of Charles Willing Hare, of Philadelphia, a tract of three hundred and eighty-nine acres of land a little east of the Gwynedd meeting-house, in Gwynedd township, being part of the original Cadwalader Evans tract of six hun- dred and nine acres, for which he held William Penn's patent dated 1701. This tract of three hundred and eighty-nine acres descended through different heirs of Cadwalader Evans, and had been sold by them, as appears by the records, to C. W. Hare, an attorney of Philadelphia, on December 3d, 1814, for the sum of $39,872. After keeping it a little over two years, as before stated, it was purchased as an undivided tract by the four persons above mentioned, for $36,000. The previous owner, having bought it in "war times," sold at heavy loss.
582
EVAN JONES.
Of this purchase Evan Jones took the homestead and one hun- dred and seventy-five acres of land.
· Very soon after getting thus settled in life his marked good sense and aptitude for public business became known and ap- preciated. Thenceforth till near the period of his death his time was largely devoted to public affairs, including matters transacted for his neighbors and friends.
In 1834 or 1835 a commission was created by act of Assem- bly, consisting of Henry Scheetz, Alan W. Corson, Evan Jones and George Richards, "to widen, lay out, grade, and otherwise regulate the streets and alleys" of the then rising borough of Norristown, which doubtless occupied considerable time and involved great responsibility. The present handsome city shows that the work was well done.
He was also early chosen a Director of the Bank of Mont- gomery County, and continued many years as such. He was an active promoter of the Spring House, Northampton and Bethlehem Turnpike Road Company.
Through the confidence of his neighbors in his ability and integrity he was charged with a large amount of Orphans' Court business, and sat on juries and as referee in perhaps more cases than any other man of his time. From his attention being thus occupied he acquired considerable legal knowledge, which was much sought, and freely given to friends and neighbors. His school learning, however, was very limited, his progress in arithmetic extending, as he used to say, only to the double rule of three. He was also held in high regard by the relig- ious society to which he was attached as a consistent and use- ful member.
His social manners were genial and free, attracting to his person young and old, his house thus becoming the centre of a wide and generous hospitality. He accumulated a consider- able estate, most of which, including the farm, passed under the will to his grandson, Evan Jones Lester, who subsequently married Elizabeth Green, of Philadelphia, and there have been born to them three children.
Evan Jones was married four times, his last wife surviving him about a year. His two only sons died in infancy. His
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GEORGE M'FARLAND, ESQ.
eldest daughter, Jane, was the wife of Jonathan Maulsby, of Plymouth, but she left no issue. The second daughter, Cyn- thia, was married to Dr. Evan G. Lester, of Philadelphia, after whose death, some years later, she married Evan Green, of Columbia, Pennsylvania.
By his will Evan Jones left his nephews, Lewis and John L. Jones, to be the executors, and the former to be also guardian of his grandson until his majority.
Evan Jones died on the 5th of First-month, 1846, in his 70th year, and was interred at Gwynedd burial ground, followed by a very large concourse of sympathizing friends and neighbors.
In person Evan Jones was of medium stature, dark florid complexion, and brown hair.
GEORGE MCFARLAND, EsQ.
I enter into the particulars of my industry that such of my descendants as shall read this memoir may know the use of that virtue -Franklin's Autobiography.
Among the self-made men of Montgomery county the above named gentleman, now deceased, stood prominent. As the name indicates, the family is of Scottish descent, and is known to have emigrated and settled in Pennsylvania about the year 1740.
Our subject was the youngest son of Dr. James McFarland, who was raised near Norristown, and after studying medicine took his degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, subsequently settling in his profession at Mor- gantown, Berks county.
Dr. James McFarland had four sons, as follows: John, who settled in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he died without surviving issue; Arthur, who resided in Lancaster county, and has been some time also deceased ; James B., the third son, is the well known Philadelphia merchant, originally a member of the mercantile house of Potts, Reynolds & Co., afterwards McFarland, Tatman & Co., and he is now (1881) living there retired from business; George, the youngest son,
584
GEORGE M'FARLAND, ESQ.
is the subject of this biographical sketch. In early life he lived with his uncle, Stephen Porter, a nephew of General Andrew Porter, who resided in Norriton township near Norristown, in the local schools of which George received a fair common school education.
When arrived at a proper age he entered the employment of Bethel Moore, at the Gulf, then occupying the present site of Bullock's extensive mills, to learn the art of manufacturing woolen cloth. After completing a term of apprenticeship, he removed to Easton, Pennsylvania, to superintend workmen in a slate quarry for another uncle, the Hon. James M. Porter, of Northampton county. During the necessary winter suspen- sion of that business he opened and taught there a country school for one or two years. After continuing in these em- ployments for a time he returned to Gulf Mills, and began the manufacture of woolen goods in a small way in a mill occupy- ing the site of that now (1881) owned and operated by Samuel Tinkler. Here, by industry, energy and uprightness, Mr. Mc- Farland laid the foundation of his subsequent large and pros- perous business.
After running the mill some three or four years, and accumu- lating considerable capital, he had the mortification, through the failure of the commission merchant who sold his goods, to find nearly all his means at once swept away. Here his now well established reputation for industry, energy and integrity secured him time and opportunity for recovering his losses. It was not long, therefore, before he had repaired the misfor- tune, paying his suspended obligations "to the uttermost far- thing," so that to the close of life his credit in business circles was unquestioned.
After successfully running a few years longer, about 1847 he purchased a mill property near by, which he rebuilt and fitted for manufacturing satinets, tweeds, and jeans. From this time until 1859 "McFarland's mill" was one of the most prosper- ous manufactories in the county. In February of that year the factory took fire and was destroyed, consuming much su- perior machinery, some of it new and just imported for his use. This disaster, as that related before, did not in the least daunt
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GEORGE M'FARLAND, ESQ.
his enterprise or spirit, for he proceeded to rebuild, and placed the works in better condition than before.
During the late war he manufactured blue kerseys and other army cloths, but since, as previously, the chief line of goods made were satinets, jeans, tweeds, and the like.
Thus, for over thirty years, up to 1875, he pushed business with uniform success, when, feeling the weight of advancing years, and realizing the propriety of inducting some younger heads and hands into the concern, he took into partnership his son Elbridge and Frank L. Jones, which firm continued until the time of the elder Mr. McFarland's death, on January 7th, 1879.
The mill property, to which, on a pleasant eminence, is at- tached the mansion where his widow resides, continues (1881) in undivided possession of the family, and the factory is run by a new firm composed of his three sons and Frank L. Jones, who, as stated, was a member of the old one.
We now turn from this brief sketch of his career as a manu- facturer to give more in detail his personal history and that of his family.
George McFarland was born at Morgantown, Berks county, March 20th, 1811, and on November 25th, 1849, was married to Mary Cornog, at Gulf Mills. They had four sons: George Clinton, the eldest, who died in infancy; Elbridge, James Ar- thur, and John. James Arthur is intermarried with Anna B., daughter of Matthias P. Walker, of Chester Valley.
The high character of the late George McFarland for capa- city and integrity is shown by the fact that he filled numerous responsible positions, such as Justice of the Peace, School Di- rector, a Director of the Board of Matson's Ford Bridge Com- pany and of the First National Bank of Norristown, the mem- bers of which latter attended his funeral in a body, as did also his numerous employes. His remains were interred in the cemetery of the Port Kennedy Presbyterian church, with which his family were at one time connected. His final mal- ady was paralysis, which terminated his valuable life five days after the attack.
George McFarland in person was of medium stature, light
586
PERCIVAL K. BOYER.
florid complexion-a quiet, honest, persevering man of busi- ness, whose death left a painful void in his own immediate family, and in the community in which he had so long resided and faithfully served.
PERCIVAL K. BOYER .*
This unwenried industry, which was perceived by our neighbors, began to acquire us reputation and credit,-Franklin's Autobiography.
This distinguished Philadelphia merchant, resident at Bar- ren Hill, Whitemarsh township, Montgomery county, was born at Boyertown, Berks county, February 26th, 1829. He is the son of Samuel and Esther Keely Boyer, long inhabitants of that village. His father was for some time in the mercantile business there, in partnership with his brother Daniel, the lat- ter of whom, with his two sons, built up and prosecuted a very large trade in that town for many years.
Samuel Boyer, the father of our subject, died young, leaving a widow with two sons and one daughter. Percival K., the eldest, then but eleven years old, was required very soon after to seek his own personal advancement. Accordingly, with but a moderate common school education, which was acquired by his sixteenth year, he went to Philadelphia to learn the whole- sale cloth trade with his uncle, Jacob S. Fry, where he re- mained until his majority. He was then offered a share in the business, which he declined, but soon after resolved to estab- lish for himself in a first-class country store at Barren Hill. Here for six years his eminent success demonstrated his judg- ment and strength of character. During this period he mar- ried Miss Adelaide Johnson, of Philadelphia.
After keeping the store at Barren Hill, as stated, he was in- duced to enter the wholesale cloth trade with John W. Moffly,
*This sketch was prepared for the first edition, but came into hand a few days after the book was published. It is due also to the subject to add that it has been prepared and written by some of his friends without his previous knowledge or assent, they as- suming that his native modesty and sensitiveness would have otherwise interposed and thus keep a worthy example from public commendation.
587
PERCIVAL K. BOYER.
now (1881) President of the Manufacturers' Bank, Philadel- phia, which was continued very successfully a number of years, under the firm name of Boyer & Moffly, at Second and Arch streets. He retired from the house during the late war. Here also he accumulated considerable additional means, which, in- vested in farms and other real estate, with careful attention was made lucrative also, for he went to farming with the same judgment and energy he had employed in mercantile business. At this time, as for some years before and since, Mr. Boyer re- sided in a large mansion he had erected for himself in the up- per end of Barren Hill village, and he thenceforth very gener- ously threw himself into every movement of a public nature designed to beautify and improve the neighborhood. His pa- tronage and co-operation led to the founding of a large and elegant three-story hall building for public uses. The first floor is devoted to a public library containing two thousand volumes, and also to reading or school rooms; the second floor is a large audience room, or hall for lectures, public meet- ings, and the like; the third is used for society sessions, such as are needed in all country towns.
Knowing his interest in educational matters, his neighbors early elected him a Director of the public schools of the dis- trict, which for a long time he filled with uniform fidelity to the people.
The project of additional railroad facilities to better connect the people of Roxborough and Barren Hill with Philadelphia, being discussed and likely to fail for want of active pecuniary backing, Mr. Boyer boldly stepped into the enterprise, pledg- ing his capital, seeking the friends of the scheme, calling meet- ings, and infusing his own energy into the management, so that the people soon obtained a continuous passenger track from Barren Hill village to the city. It is no disparagement to others co-operating to affirm that Mr. B. was the animating spirit of this successful public work.
After remaining some years at farming in the county, as stated, and managing his investments, he stepped forward again upon the occasion of a necessary change in the old firm and assumed control of the cloth trade he had mainly built up, thus
·
588
GABRIEL KOHN.
also affording some of his children an opportunity to get a foot- hold in mercantile business. In this position he remains at present (1881) conducting a very active business at No. 622 Market street under the style and title of Boyer, Rex & Grie- semer, the second member being a son-in-law and the husband of his eldest daughter, Blanche. Percival K. Boyer and wife have four other children : Eliza May, Esther, Harry Percival, and Belle.
As a key to the success of Mr. Boyer thus far in life, and his preservation from city frivolities while a boy living in Philadel- phia, it is proper to add that he had a very exemplary mother, who taught him when young the value and importance of firm integrity and truthfulness of character, which secure at all times a strict attention to matters of business, labor and duty. Mr. B. has therefore been for years also a worthy and active mem- ber of St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Barren Hill, assisting in many ways the pastor and lay officers thereof.
GABRIEL KOHN.
"A constant good fortune has attended me through every period of life to my pres- ent advanced age."-Franklin's Autobiography.
Few men have so surely, persistently, and yet so unpreten- tiously ascended the ladder of a successful business life of near fifty years as the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this sketch. He was born February 22d, 1808, at the village of Cmeletion, near Jechnitz, in Bohemia, the native land of the great reformers, John Huss and Jerome of Prague. This ancient kingdom is now a principality of Austria, and chiefly inhabited by the Sclavonic race.
His early bent towards industry, energy and enterprise, was shown by his acquiring at home the trade of a glazier by the time he was sixteen years old, after which he set out and trav- eled as a journeyman about eight years, working in different towns of Hungary and Germany, and having all the time a set- tled purpose to emigrate to America. He went to Hamburg
589
GABRIEL KOHN.
and Amsterdam, but failing to find a convenient passage, went to Frankfort-on-the-Main, where he worked four years. He then sailed from Bremen, landing in New York in 1833, in his 25th year, and proceeded immediately to Sumneytown, in our county, where he applied himself to learn the more available trade of a carpenter. Three years later, in 1836, he removed to Norristown and entered the employment of Philip Koplin, who was then a leading carpenter and builder of the borough. A year later he engaged to work for Jacob Shelley, continuing in his employment as journeyman about three years. In 1840 he rented the frame carpenter shop long known as that of Thomas Stroud, on the site of Trinity Lutheran Church, where he drove the carpentering business about five years on his own account. Afterwards, in 1845, he joined Samuel Groff in a partnership, building for the use of the firm a spacious shop on Church street. Here, for about six years more, a large build- ing and carpentering business was done, during which they erected the Reformed Church of the Ascension, Odd Fellows' Hall, Oak street school building, and the first half of the pub- lic market on DeKalb street, which last was put up by Mr. K. alone after he had dissolved partnership with Mr. Groff in 1851. From this time he continued to do an extensive carpentering business, building for himself and others hundreds of houses until near 1860, when, having accumulated considerable means, he retired from the trade.
In the fall of 1853, jointly with Laurence E. Corson, Esq., he purchased of James M. Chain a farm of seventy-six acres of land west of Stony creek, in the First ward, for $46,000, which was surveyed, laid out into lots and streets, and put into mar- ket during that winter at remunerative prices, they making conveyances of the same the following spring. The remain- der was mostly held until the death of Mr. Corson in 1872, when the latter's share, as also some of that belonging to Mr. Kohn, was sold. Previous to these transactions, in 1844 or 1845 Mr. K. had bought some lots on Main street above De- Kalb, which he improved and sold to advantage. In 1853 he purchased the fine mansion near Main and Green streets where he at present (1881) resides. This building was erected by Dr.
590
GABRIEL KOHN.
Jacobs many years ago, and was long known as the most stately brick house in Norristown. Attached to this dwelling, on the corner of Green street, was a large and valuable vacant lot, which he at once improved by erecting upon the site two stores and what is now a public house, all four stories high. This property, as also some real estate in Camden, New Jersey, Mr. K. still holds.
Mr. K., as is well known, has been for many years liberal with his capital in promoting enterprises for the increase of our home industry. Accordingly he assisted to found and erect the Barbadoes street and Ford street factories with the object just stated, superintending the erection of both, and at first had considerable money invested in each. When the project was afoot to build the Stony Creek railroad Mr. K. took a liberal amount of stock to further the enterprise, as also more recently helped to establish the Hubbard Gleaner and Binder Company, founded in the First ward. Always liberal, public spirited, yet frugal with his savings, he has money invested in most of our local corporations, and has served as a Director of some of the building and loan associations, as also of the Odd Fellows' Hall Association. Being besides a stockholder in the Mont- gomery National Bank, he was chosen a Director of that in- stitution in 1872, and so continued until 1879.
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